Blues Battle Back for Draw in Opener

September 12, 2017

After battling back in the second half to draw even with the Langara College Falcons, the Capilano University Blues were unable to break the 1-1 deadlock – earning a draw in their PACWEST season opener on Sunday afternoon at the Burnaby Lake Sports Complex.

It took awhile for both teams to get into the flow of the game, with neither team recording many strong scoring chances off the get-go. The pace picked up around the 20th minute after the Blues won a couple corners and free kicks, but they were unable to get any shots on target and the game remained
scoreless.

In the 31stminute, rookie midfielder Adrianna
Babinski fired a shot from about 20 yards out that looked poised for the back of the net, but Langara keeper Simran Basra made a fantastic save – leaping and tipping the ball over the bar on the goal line.

Capilano kept control for the next 10 minutes, but right before the end of the half Langara had a great scoring chance and forced Brittney Roussy to make a diving stop – one of her seven saves in the half. However, off the ensuring corner kick, the
ball bounced around inside the 18-yard box before being headed home by Nicole Bell to give the Falcons a 1-0 lead.

The Blues ramped up the pressure out of halftime, and were rewarded with the equalizer. After they won a corner in the 48th, Babinki – in her first career PACWEST game – curled in a kick that snuck just under the bar to tie the game up at one.

Langara responded with a strong chance of their own in the 56th, but Nikki Gerbrandt, who took over the goaltending duties in the second half, sprawled to make a save before the ball was cleared off the goal line.

Capilano controlled the majority of the play for the remainder of the second half, yet were unable to break the deadlock. Despite several scrambles inside the 18-yard box and three more corner kicks, Langara held strong and the game finished tied 1-1.

With one game in the books, CapU sits in an early tie for third place in the five-team PACWEST with one point. Langara earned a pair of draws on the weekend, and they sit in second with two points.

The Blues get back underway next weekend at home when they take on Douglas College on Saturday, September 16 and Vancouver Island University on Sunday, September 17. Kick-off is 1:00pm on Saturday and 12:00pm on Sunday at Lillooet Park in North Vancouver.

Capilano University is named after Chief Joe Capilano, an important leader of the Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh) Nation of the Coast Salish people. We respectfully acknowledge that our campuses are located on the territories of the Lil’wat, Musqueam, Sechelt (shíshálh), Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.